Cooperative Superintendency Program

Three graduate students sit at a table in front of a wall full of large notes about leadership.

Photo of Ruben Olivarez

Program Director
Rubén D. Olivárez

Photo of Sylvia Reyna

Assistant Director
Sylvia R. Reyna

The Cooperative Superintendency Program (CSP) offers a doctoral degree (Ed.D.) within the Educational Leadership and Policy Department of the highly ranked College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin. The CSP is at the forefront of preparing education leaders to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s public education system. Our dedicated faculty and intensive coursework maintain our position among the top-rated superintendency preparation programs in the nation. 

Our program seeks to attract leaders with outstanding professional readiness and prepare them for executive-level positions, including: 

  • Superintendents of school districts 
  • Chief executives in state education agencies 
  • Directors in education service centers or laboratories 
  • Executive-level management posts in large cities or suburban districts 

Program Features

  • Practitioner-focused curriculum 
  • Real world, real-time application 
  • Cohort-model, student collaboration, shared learning 
  • Completion in 30 months (63 hours of coursework, 69 with dissertation hours)
  • Face-to-face contact with renowned faculty focused on equity and excellence 
  • Flexible scheduling for current and aspiring public school executives 
  • Strong regional, state, national, and international alumni network 

Key Competencies

  • Leadership for Equity and Excellence 
  • Strategic Thinking and Planning 
  • Policy and Governance 
  • Human Relations 
  • Law and School Finance 
  • District-Level Operations 

This program starts in the Summer semester only. You must select the “Summer” semester in the ApplyTexas application. If you apply to the wrong semester or incorrect program track in the Educational Leadership & Policy department in the ApplyTexas application, you could be subject to additional application fees.

Learn More Program Application Requirements How to Apply Financial Support FAQs Financial Support Request More Information

Faculty

Photo of Amanda Brownson

Amanda Brownson

Assistant Professor of Practice

Experienced school finance administrator who focuses on ways state aid systems and school district budget practices can be improved to best leverage resources toward improving services for students.

Photo of Rebecca Callahan

Rebecca Callahan

Associate Professor, EPP Master's Program Head

Research interests include immigrant bilinguals’ transition from adolescence to young adulthood, as well as their associated educational processes.

Photo of Norma Cantu

Norma Cantú, J.D.

Ken McIntyre Professor for Excellence in School Leadership

With a background as assistant secretary of education for Civil Rights in the Clinton Administration, she teaches topics in civil rights and the intersection of law and policy in education.

Photo of Joshua Childs

Joshua Childs

Assistant Professor

Examines collaborative approaches involving community organizations and stakeholders that improve academic achievement and reduce opportunity gaps for students.

Photo of David E. DeMatthews

David E. DeMatthews

Associate Professor

Focuses on urban school and district leadership, inclusive practices for students with disabilities, and school improvement with an emphasis on addressing inequities in classrooms, schools, and communities.

Photo of Terrance Green

Terrance Green

Assistant Professor

Examines principals and school-community engagement/community development, and issues of educational equity and opportunity.

Photo of Jennifer Holme

Jennifer Jellison Holme

Associate Professor, Graduate Advisor

Focuses on the politics and implementation of educational policy with an emphasis on school reform, equity and diversity in schools.

Photo of Huriya Jabbar

Huriya Jabbar

Assistant Professor, EPP Doctoral Program Head

Examines the social and political dimensions of market-based reforms and privatization in education, including school choice and decision-making in K-12 and higher education contexts.

Photo of Ruben Olivarez

Rubén D. Olivárez

L. D. Haskew Centennial Professor in Public School Administration

Advocates for social justice and equal educational opportunities for all students, and stresses the importance of teachers in education and principals as a key to school effectiveness.

Photo of Pedro Reyes

Pedro Reyes

Ashbel Smith Professor of Education Policy

Focuses on school conditions that foster high academic success for children of poverty, stratification of learning opportunities for children of color, and on state policy that facilitates student success across the education pipeline.

Photo of Sylvia Reyna

Sylvia R. Reyna

Assistant Professor of Practice

Prepares school district executives to lead socially just and equitable learning centers focused on academic excellence for all students.